Coolers that don't break the bank

KDL · 08-12-2018, 09:19 AM

I have a Yeti 45 that was given to me as a gift. Great cooler, holds ice well but it's heavy. Last year I picked up a Ozark Trail cooler at Walmart. Zipper top, holds ice very well and it's light. Perfect size for day on the boat. If I recall it was about $30. This year they have three different sizes. I may get another one.

thinkxingu · 08-12-2018, 09:46 AM

Ozark Trail seems to reverse engineer much of their stuff. Their insulated cups, at $7, are easily as good as Yeti and, in my experience, often better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KDL

I have a Yeti 45 that was given to me as a gift. Great cooler, holds ice well but it's heavy. Last year I picked up a Ozark Trail cooler at Walmart. Zipper top, holds ice very well and it's light. Perfect size for day on the boat. If I recall it was about $30. This year they have three different sizes. I may get another one.

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kawishiwi · 08-12-2018, 02:13 PM

Why buy ice? I have a few Costco mixed nuts plastic jars, wide round top on sqaurish container. Maybe 5" x 6" x 7". Filled 80% with water and then frozen they nestle into the bottom of a cooler nicely. Throw in one or 2 doses of cubes from the fridge ice maker & I get a solid weekend of cool in moderately cheap coolers.
Packing ice for 7 day island camping? YETI or similar might be worth it. Maybe. Even then, dry ice used to be a commonly available thing in the upper midwest. Lotsa loads of walleyes brought back in ragged coolers back then...

JADAQ · 08-13-2018, 10:13 AM

I know yeti’s are expensive but I bought 2 of them as my son worked at Dick’s sporting goods and was able to get a huge discount on them. One soft bag and the other is a 65 hard cooler.
I’ve had them both for a few years and if my calculations are correct the savings in ice purchases over the years have nearly paid for the hard cooler, especially when the jokers at New Hampshire motor speedway get like $4 for a 5 pound bag.

Yes, there are cheaper coolers (RTIC) makes a nice cooler and much cheaper than the YETI

Descant · 08-13-2018, 11:02 AM

We use and re-use the "free" Styrofoam shipping coolers from Omaha Steaks. Ugly, but surprisingly rugged. Great price. May be too small for a multi-day camping trip, but using multiples (of any brand) means folks don't have to keep opening and removing stuff to find something packed at the bottom.

StevenGilford · 08-29-2018, 09:55 AM

We have 2 Coleman Xtreme Coolers, currently $43 from Walmart. Love them!

Hillcountry · 08-29-2018, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevenGilford

We have 2 Coleman Xtreme Coolers, currently $43 from Walmart. Love them!

I have seen these online and they might be a real inexpensive alternative!
I also get the fliers from Tractor Supply and they carry the ORCA coolers which excel in ice retention tests that are all over YouTube. They have a Labor Day sale going on now that I need to check out.

Biggd · 08-29-2018, 02:21 PM

I hope you have that cooler filled with tall cold ones, I'm comin over!

BroadHopper · 08-29-2018, 03:53 PM

$50 at Sam's Club when it is on sale. Load it up with ice on Friday. Scooping out ice on Monday!

BroadHopper · 08-29-2018, 04:31 PM

IGLOO best bang for the buck!
https://www.fieldandstream.com/artic...d-and-reviewed

codeman671 · 08-30-2018, 06:34 AM

We have many coolers but gravitate to our yeti 75.
It is a beast though when full.

I picked up some freezer packs on amazon which can be reused. They work well and definitely pay for themselves quickly.

https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Shock-...ref=mp_s_a_1_6

Hillcountry · 09-01-2018, 04:31 PM

The cooler saga is over!
Went over to Ocean State Job Lots to find a couple of clothes storage bins to keep my hunting clothes in along with some evergreen boughs to keep my scent down...especially being the owner of a clingy, Springer!
Anyway, going around the first corner are some blue/white coolers and they were the Coleman Extreme 5 day jobbies. I had looked at one at Bass Pro the other day and they didn’t look any different than my old cheapo Coleman. Thin walls and all. Well, these have much thicker walls with the “reduced volume” look inside just like the expensive ones. Price tag: $39.99 made my mind up for me as the ones at BPS we’re almost 70 bucks! Heck... my cooler search is done.
Even better, it rang up at the register for $27.99!!!
Thanks all!
PS: There are a half dozen more there if anyone wants a deal!

08-12-2018, 02:13 PM	#3
kawishiwi Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 518 Thanks: 225 Thanked 167 Times in 108 Posts	Thermal mass? Why buy ice? I have a few Costco mixed nuts plastic jars, wide round top on sqaurish container. Maybe 5" x 6" x 7". Filled 80% with water and then frozen they nestle into the bottom of a cooler nicely. Throw in one or 2 doses of cubes from the fridge ice maker & I get a solid weekend of cool in moderately cheap coolers. Packing ice for 7 day island camping? YETI or similar might be worth it. Maybe. Even then, dry ice used to be a commonly available thing in the upper midwest. Lotsa loads of walleyes brought back in ragged coolers back then...

08-13-2018, 11:02 AM	#5
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,600 Thanks: 1,419 Thanked 1,705 Times in 1,109 Posts	Free? We use and re-use the "free" Styrofoam shipping coolers from Omaha Steaks. Ugly, but surprisingly rugged. Great price. May be too small for a multi-day camping trip, but using multiples (of any brand) means folks don't have to keep opening and removing stuff to find something packed at the bottom.

08-29-2018, 03:53 PM	#9
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,669 Thanks: 3,285 Thanked 1,132 Times in 814 Posts	IGLOO MaxCold $50 at Sam's Club when it is on sale. Load it up with ice on Friday. Scooping out ice on Monday! __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

08-29-2018, 04:31 PM	#10
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,669 Thanks: 3,285 Thanked 1,132 Times in 814 Posts	Field and Stream test IGLOO best bang for the buck! https://www.fieldandstream.com/artic...d-and-reviewed __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

09-01-2018, 04:31 PM	#12
Hillcountry Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: In the hills Posts: 2,419 Thanks: 1,664 Thanked 786 Times in 466 Posts	The cooler saga is over! Went over to Ocean State Job Lots to find a couple of clothes storage bins to keep my hunting clothes in along with some evergreen boughs to keep my scent down...especially being the owner of a clingy, Springer! Anyway, going around the first corner are some blue/white coolers and they were the Coleman Extreme 5 day jobbies. I had looked at one at Bass Pro the other day and they didn’t look any different than my old cheapo Coleman. Thin walls and all. Well, these have much thicker walls with the “reduced volume” look inside just like the expensive ones. Price tag: $39.99 made my mind up for me as the ones at BPS we’re almost 70 bucks! Heck... my cooler search is done. Even better, it rang up at the register for $27.99!!! Thanks all! PS: There are a half dozen more there if anyone wants a deal! Attached Images

08-12-2018, 09:19 AM	#1
KDL Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 119 Thanks: 0 Thanked 15 Times in 12 Posts	I have a Yeti 45 that was given to me as a gift. Great cooler, holds ice well but it's heavy. Last year I picked up a Ozark Trail cooler at Walmart. Zipper top, holds ice very well and it's light. Perfect size for day on the boat. If I recall it was about $30. This year they have three different sizes. I may get another one.

The Following User Says Thank You to KDL For This Useful Post:
Hillcountry (08-12-2018)

The Following User Says Thank You to thinkxingu For This Useful Post:
Hillcountry (08-12-2018)

08-13-2018, 10:13 AM	#4
JADAQ Senior Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 198 Thanks: 4 Thanked 66 Times in 43 Posts	I know yeti’s are expensive but I bought 2 of them as my son worked at Dick’s sporting goods and was able to get a huge discount on them. One soft bag and the other is a 65 hard cooler. I’ve had them both for a few years and if my calculations are correct the savings in ice purchases over the years have nearly paid for the hard cooler, especially when the jokers at New Hampshire motor speedway get like $4 for a 5 pound bag. Yes, there are cheaper coolers (RTIC) makes a nice cooler and much cheaper than the YETI

08-29-2018, 09:55 AM	#6
StevenGilford Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Posts: 138 Thanks: 15 Thanked 48 Times in 29 Posts	We have 2 Coleman Xtreme Coolers, currently $43 from Walmart. Love them!

08-29-2018, 02:21 PM	#8
Biggd Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Waltham Ma./Meredith NH Posts: 4,434 Thanks: 2,433 Thanked 1,271 Times in 814 Posts	I hope you have that cooler filled with tall cold ones, I'm comin over!

The Following User Says Thank You to Biggd For This Useful Post:
Hillcountry (08-29-2018)

08-30-2018, 06:34 AM	#11
codeman671 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,605 Thanks: 223 Thanked 856 Times in 519 Posts	We have many coolers but gravitate to our yeti 75. It is a beast though when full. I picked up some freezer packs on amazon which can be reused. They work well and definitely pay for themselves quickly. https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Shock-...ref=mp_s_a_1_6

The Following User Says Thank You to codeman671 For This Useful Post:
BroadHopper (08-30-2018)

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Hillcountry For This Useful Post:
Biggd (09-01-2018), BroadHopper (08-02-2019), thinkxingu (09-01-2018)

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